The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-07
NINE SLAIN NEAR MACON.
THE KILLING DONE BY A KINS-
MAN OF THE VICTIMS.

Every Room in the House Bespattered
With Blood and Brains-An AK the
Implement of Destruction-Six of the
Corpses Found in One Apartment
The Murderer Under rArrest-Threats
OF Lynching.
MACON, GA, Aug. 6.--The news of a
horrible tragedy reached the city early this
morning. A messenger rode into the city,
his horse ficclzed with foam, and delivered a
note to Daniel II. Adams, Clerk of the Su-
perior Court, stating that the Voolfolk
family, consisting OF nine members, had
been foully murdered last night, and asking
that the Coroner be notified and sent out
at once. Soon the news spread over
the city, and in short time
people everywhere were discussing the hor-
rible particulars. Rumors were rife, and,
strange to say, nearly all subsequently
proved to be true. BY 10 O'Clock the city
was wild with excitement and Citizens were
Fastening to the scene, thirteen miles from
the city, in this county, in vehicles of all
descriptions.
TALK OF LYNCHING.
There was free talk of lynching the per-
petrator if he should be caught When it
was afterwards rumored that T. G. Wool
folk had been held upon suspicion of being
the guilty party the indignation and horror
knew no bounds. The scene of the unparal-
leled crime was quickly reached. Already
the news had spread through the neighbor-
hood for miles around like wildtire, and
people of all ages and color came pouring in
TO see for themselves the exact extent of the
butchery Tho annual Montpelier picnic,
Ii III l. "a
crowd, swelling the number of people to
nearly three Thousand, and it was wild,
excited throng.
THE BLOOD BESPATTERED HOUSE.
The scene of the crime is a onestory house
with a long veranda in front A hail di-
videS the four rooms of the house A par
lor is to the right of the entrance and in the
rear of it sleeping room. This room was
occupied last night by Mrs. West, an
aged lady, sister of Mrs. Richard
F. Voolfolk, Pearl, Annie and Rose
bud Voolfolk, daughters of Mrs
Voolfolk. On the left of the entrance is an
other sleeping room. 1t was occupied last
night by Thomas, Richard and Charlie
Voolfolk, sons of Mr. and Mrs Voolfolk
In the rear of that is third sleeping-r room
1t was occupied by Mr.. and Mrs. r. F.
Voolfolk and their babe, scarce eighteen
months old.
THE CoRPsES.
In the last room lay the mother, father
and baby dead, piled together on the same
bed and soaked in the blood and brains of
each other Slung across them was the oldest
daughter, Pearl a recent graduate of Wesle-
yam Female College. Her head was mashed
INTO jelly. Her neck and body was cut TO
pieces and drenched in blood. On the floor
near the bed, in the same mangled, brutal
state, lay the oldest brother, who rushed in
at the first alarm, as did his sister Pearl, and
who, like her, was butchered on the thresh-
old and dragged into the room.
HER HEAD CLovEN IN TWAIN.
On the bed at the second room lay the
aged aunt, Mrs. West, soaked in
her own blood, with brains lying
about. Her head was crushed in completely.
Near by on the same bed lay Annie Wool
folk with her head cloven in twain. By the
window on the floor, i'll an attitude showing
that she was attempting to escape when she
was struck down, lay Rosebud Voolfolk.
The left side of her head and face was man
gled beyond recognition.
In his own room was found the body of
Charles Voolfolk, presenting the same
horrible spectacle as the other unfortunate
members Of his family. As already stated,
Itchard was found dead in the apartment
oi his parents. Thomas, the third son, is
alive, and suspected of the crime. The
sight made the strongest hearts sick. Even
the ceilings and walls were bespattered and
covered with brains and blood Hele and
there Oh tho floor pool of blood had
formed. The half-handled AK with which
the butchcry was done lay in the hallway
near the door, reelling with blood
TIE SUSPECTED MURDERER.
The crowd stood and stared unable TO real
ize i'll its completeness the utter horror of the
sight. AS soon as the spectators could collect
their senses 4 movement to investigate the
crime was begun. T. G. Voolfolk the only
surviving member of the family and house
mold OF last night was questioned closely.
He told story that aroused suspicion, which
III It's completeness is given below. 1t was
." disconnected AS to excite suspicion, and
he was at once arrested by Robert Wright,
who had sent the note of information in.
Voolfolk protested his innocence, but
viewed the sickening scene with perfect
conlpoSure.
A JURY IMPAHELED.
Coroner Hodnett empaneied a jury and
proceeded with the investigation. Nothing
definite as to WoofOlk's guilt was estab-
lshed, although a vast deal OF circumstan
tal evidence fastened the claim around him.
AS II proceeded the frenzy of the crowd in
creased, and it was with great difficulty
ulat Sheriff WescOtt appeased their feel
ing and induced them to allow the law
70 Jake its course. BY an artful man9uvre
ne got the jury to withhold the verdict until
ne could get convenient moment to slip
ms prisoner away which he did quietly, and
OeioIe the crowd was aware of it, the
ohel1tf, his aids and the prisoner were speed
ING towards the city
A VERDICT AGAINST THE PRISONER
The jury aftcrward brought in verdict
Oh murder, with Voolfolk as the perpetra-
Tor subsequently Woolfolk's shirt, covered
win blood, was found III the well, having
rSen 10 the surface
voolfolk, the Supposed murderer, for the
P"SG tWo or three years has been engaged Ill
cusiheSs here. lie ran barroon and gro
ely store Oh Third street; and cheated and
s"iiltled everybodyhe came in contact with
unul he failed, when he disappeared for n
uuie. Not long ago he opened a grocery
Hhu commission business Oh Cotton avenue,
pursued the same policy, and soon failed the
aIoEu tunH, In both instances his father,
VINO 1t was considered had considerable
eSIate, set hin up in business.
DRIVEN TO DESPERATION.
Atte" his second failure his father refused
70 longer back him, and told him that he
NNau s4uandercd his portion OF the estate:
voolfolk grew desperate and was married
"a romantic way to Miss Bird, in the hope
Iqat I4t his father would givo him more money.
ls wife soon quit him be-
tause he was unable to sup
port her, and Voolfolk, after driving